"Girls in White Dresses" Discussion #4

Throughout the book, questions of identity pop up.  How are the girls questioning their identity, their place in life?  Who seems to have created the strongest sense of self by the end of the book? 

from Jesus is Coming, near the end.

"I'm not changing my name back," Beth told them.  "I thought about it, but I'm going to stay Beth White."  Isabella didn't think this was a wise decision.

"Why wouldn't she go back to Beth Bauer?" she asked Lauren.  "She doesn't have any kids.  It's so weird."

"I don't know," Lauren said.  "Maybe she's afraid no one will remember who she is."

"Maybe," Isabella said.  The thought left her uneasy.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  There will be new posts beginning Monday, Nov 26.  Feel free to comment on any posts so far over the weekend.

"Girls in White Dresses" Discussion #3

The Peahens

Several of the characters keep some pretty big secrets, such as the way Abby keeps her friends away from her hippy parents.  How does keeping her family background a secret affect Abby's life? When her friends finally meet her family, are they as horrified as Abby thinks?  If they had met during the girls' college years, would their reaction have been different?

"The neighbors are neglecting their exotic birds."  "The peacock bleated and bobbed around the pen, and the peahens followed.  One of the peahens was slower than the other one, and she limped as she tried to keep up."

What is the metaphor of the peahen?  Why is Abby so upset about the injured peahen?

Leave your thoughts as comment so others can share.

"Girls in White Dresses" Discussion #2

Ambivalence toward jobs, men, apartments, and children is a recurring theme.  Why do you think that is?  Did you feel ambivalence toward these things when you were in your twenties?  Are you ambivalent now?

"Connor screamed with all of his might.  He fought against it with everything he had.  All he wanted was to know what to expect.  His world didn't look like he'd thought it would, and she understood.  How could he ceep calm if he couldn't see?  Isabella lay on the floor of the playroom upstairs and listened.  She heard the screams and she knew exactly how he felt.  He was right--she could hear it on her insides." (end of chapter "Blind")

Does Isabella's realization of Connor's problem help her?  Who else could this passage describe?

What do you think about the "Summer of Yes"?  (also in "Blind")  Does it help the girls meet people outside of their immediate circle?

Leave your thoughts as comments - so that others can share.

eBooks available for "Girls in White Dresses" and "Last Policeman"

Two books, Girls in White Dresses, and The Last Policeman, are available from the Library's Overdrive ebook service.  They can be checked out and downloaded to an ereader for 14 or 21 days.

Find the Overdrive ebooks on the library web page.  You will have to have a Grace A. Dow Memorial Library card number, and live within our legal service area.  Please call the library reference desk if you have questions:  989/837-3449.

Girls in White Dresses Discussion #1

How does Close use humor to convey character?  Are the women themselves funny, or the situations they find themselves in?

Which "girl" did you most closely identify with, and why?  Were (or are) you like these girls in your 20's?

Let me know by making a comment.  Anonymous comments are accepted.